Fed up with looking slightly anaemic and no longer satisfied with just a flush of peach or pink on the cheeks I decided to investigate a beauty first for me, the bronzer. After a few attempts of ill applied colour so I looked like an extra out of TOWIE, I decided to ask Andriani Vasiliou, a make up artist whose clients include Natalie Imbruglia and David Walliams, how to apply bronzer so the look is more St Tropez than Essex nightclub. Adriani suggests using “a large round brush to blend the bronzer over the areas the sun naturally catches, the nose, forehead and chin, then blend inwards from the outside of the face to contour cheekbones and brow bones.” Armed with this technique I stroked and blended to discover the best bronzers on the market.
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Bobbi Brown is the doyenne of natural looking skincare and the Bronze Shimmer Brick (www.bobbibrown.co.uk, £30.50) is a gentle introduction into the world of bronzing. The slick black square packaging houses a handy mirror to aid application. There are 5 different shades from the fairest cream to a dark brown which combine to create a gorgeous glow on any skin tone. The formulation has a slight shimmer that highlights the cheekbones perfectly. As a beauty bonus the 5 bars of colour double as eyeshadow.

Available in 2 shades, Estee Lauder’s Bronze Goddess Soft Duo Bronzer (www.esteelauder.co.uk, £27) comes in an oversized compact (you’ll need a large handbag) complete with mirror and an excellent soft bristle brush that works especially well creating half moon shading on the cheeks up to the temple. The compact includes 2 shades that allow you to customize how darkly bronzed you want to be, making this an ideal bronzer for taking on holiday. The formulation also has a unique oil control complex so that the skin remains shine free.

L’Oreal’s Glam Bronze Duo Sun Powder comes in a shade for blondes and one for brunettes (www.loreal-paris.co.uk, £10.20). The ingenious packaging comes with a lift up section that houses an easy to use brush and good-sized mirror. The effect of the bronzer is understated but it’s easy to build up the colour should a darker tone be required. The formulation contains golden light reflecting particles so that you look delicately sun-kissed rather than sun parched.

A favourite bronzer with many make up artists is Stila’s Sun Bronzing Powder (www.beautybay.com, £18). The pretty star embossed compact contains a matte formulation making it perfect for those who don’t like shine. The colour can appear scarily dark, especially for bronzer virgins like me, but once on the skin it doesn’t look orange or dirty. The bronzer blends into the skin easily and has a long lasting formulation, making it great for everyday use.

Bronzer doesn’t always have to come in a powder formulation. Step forward Giorgio Armani’s Fluid Sheer in 03 (www.giorgioarmanibeauty.co.uk, £33). This wonderful illuminator glides over the skin to create a gentle glow. The light as a feather formulation can be used alone, mixed with a foundation for all over colour or applied with your fingers to the areas you would normally apply a bronzer. I’ve also mixed a few squidges of the product to body cream to apply to my legs, arms and décolleté to create a picture perfect finish to the skin. For fairer skins it may appear a tad dark, but because the formulation is so sheer the effects are ideal for any skin type. The scent is fresh, delicate and clean while the packaging is slick, expensive and glossy.